Dagger

Somehow I ended up making a banner rather than studying for my history exam. Interesting how that always happens... Anyway, I included a grid in this piece (not to mention some surreptitious scanlines >_>), and I'd love to know whether or not it actually adds something to the banner. It seems as though many people believe that grids are somewhat overdone, and I guess I'd prefer to avoid using them just for the heck of it. ~Dagger~

It's odd to think that gender can inflict this kind of pain. Lying curled in bed, arms wrapped around my shoulders-- it's light outside, but I won't arise for hours. A dull ache, a blind worm in my belly, its gnawing and my tears. I wonder briefly how much worse birthing is than this, and resolve at once that children will not spring from the knotted hurt within me. Two Tylonels and a long nap later, I stare cagily at my plate. To eat or not to eat? [i]That[/i] is the question, Hamlet. Ham itself sounds dangerous to me, and the worm won't sleep for at least another day.

This reminds me of how Tifa and Aeris fans used to wrangle back in the day.... ....Anyway. Speaking of Tenchi girls, I wasn't very fond of Sakuya (from Tenchi in Tokyo). I almost cried during the episode in which Ryoko saw her [spoiler]kissing Tenchi. If I remember correctly, she turned out to be the pawn of evil forces--or something to that effect. I have almost no recollection of Tokyo's plot; it wasn't nearly as memorable as Universe or Muyo.[/spoiler] For those of you who have seen any of the Tenchi series in Japanese, how do their dub and sub voices compare? I think that Ayeka's English VA may have had something to do with my dislike of her. >_> ~Dagger~

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by afiage [/i] [B]okay evanescence was so great when they first started i agree, and now everytime i turn my radio on, there amy lees voice is again and again, and its a pretty voice, but im sick of it, they are complete sell outs now, bcuz everyone knows who they are and what they are doing, and its just not how i would want to be known. but i do have there cd and i do enjoy some of the songs too.[/B][/QUOTE] Excuse me, but how does becoming famous automatically make them sell-outs? I've never understood that kind of logic. The vast majority of artists--whether they're musicians, painters, writers, poets, or anything else--want money and recognition for their work. In fact, Evanescence's sound hasn't changed [i]at all[/i] since their first demos were released. Artistic stagnancy is obviously not a positive attribute, but you can't accuse them of altering their message or music in order to gain commercial success. Many of the songs on their debut CD are just recycled from their early demos, and the changes that were made to them are quite negligible. ~Dagger~

[b]9/10[/b] I watch .hack//SIGN on a pretty sporadic basis--when it comes to anime, the show just isn't one of my top priorities. I doubt I've seen more than half of its episodes. However, early this morning I managed to stay awake for Recollection, and it quickly captured my attention. .hack//SIGN is a very slow show. Not only does it rely heavily on dialogue and sedate, sometimes static imagery, but often falls into long periods of silence, which are punctuated only by wordless indications of emotion from the characters currently on-screen. Sometimes (as in Recollection) this works well. Sometimes it simply makes me fall asleep. >_>; Because this episode revolves mainly around Subaru, it served to crystallize my thoughts regarding her personality and relationships (especially with Crim and Tsukasa). Its artwork is also slightly better than that found in many of .hack//SIGN's other episodes. Everything--especially the lighting--was perfect. I was even impressed by the way the characters' eyes are drawn; they normally tend to look rather flat and unreadable, but in Recollection, Subaru's eyes really do convey the complexity of her feelings. The ending shot [spoiler](which reveals Subaru to be a plain-looking girl in a wheelchair)[/spoiler] explains more about her motivations and actions than any philosophical conversation could have. Both in terms of poignancy and emotional intensity, I thought that this episode was far superior to any others I've seen to date. If the rest of .hack//SIGN is anything like Recollection, I could really come to love this series. ~Dagger~

The University compound was enormous and almost entirely sterile, with vast marble courtyards that showed no trace of having ever harbored greenery. Their footsteps echoed loudly as Anubis led them across the flat expanse and up a set of broad, imposing stairs. They now stood in the shadow of one of the area's largest buildings. It stood stiffly before them, a massive, hulking thing that was surrounded by marble columns. Compared to all this grandeur, its normal-sized doors seemed oddly out of place. Leile finally realized what was truly strange about this empty university: it appeared to have escaped the recent catastrophe relatively unscathed. Though its outer walls were crumbling, and some small structures had collapsed into piles of rubble, here at the heart of the compound nothing seemed to have been disturbed. Well, it [i]was[/i] a school of magic. It made sense that its important buildings would have received some kind of enchanted protection. "Stand back," Anubis said sharply. She couldn't see his face from where she stood. Aissa glanced towards her and offered only with a small shrug, which Leile interpreted as meaning that nothing was terribly wrong. All the same--she shifted nervously and gazed over her shoulder at the surrounding darkness. The mage was testing one of the double doors with his hand. When it failed to move, he raised his staff and rapped imperiously upon the elaborately carved wood. His eyes, no longer impassive, had grown utterly cold, and a brief, tense silence passed before Anubis thrust the staff into Aissa's hands. She nearly dropped it, feeling the sudden jolt of an unfamiliar power, but watched apprehensively as he laid his right palm against the door, fingers outspread, and whispered silently. Under these circumstances, she would have expected there to be a flash of light, a burst of heat: something to herald the breaking of a spell. But Aissa saw only a brief gathering of shadow--it streamed like ink to Anubis's hand--and then all seemed ordinary again. Except for the fact that he winced as the door creaked open. The mage stepped away, not even bothering to ask for his staff. Leile was about to cross the library's threshold when she looked back at her two companions and glimpsed something glistening darkly on the floor. Anubis lifted his right hand to reveal that it was laced with blood; in this dim light, it appeared almost as though he were wearing a glove. "Go on in," he told her. For once, he could not keep the bitterness from his voice. "Oh, don't worry. It won't hurt [i]you.[/i]"

Although I haven't yet seen Monster (a film that was originally released in 2003, but recently expanded to more cities and theatres), I've read articles which stated that it has a very good chance of getting nominated in several categories. Starring Charlize Theron and Christina Ricci, it's based on the story of Aileen Wuornos, a female serial killer who was executed in 2002. Due to its subject material, Monster is said to be an intense movie--difficult to watch and emotionally taxing, but ultimately very well done. I'd like to know whether anyone plans to see this film or believes that it's capable of winning an Oscar. ~Dagger~

Meh. Let me simply state that I grew interested in Evanescence long before they actually became popular. I can remember desperately searching Google for information about the band, and encountering only [i]one[/i] site that even mentioned them in passing. Although I initially liked their sound, I was surprised to hear Evanescence's singles being played on nearly every radio station in my area. As is the case with Linkin Park, their songs are catchy, but don't vary much in terms of melody or general atmosphere. ~Dagger~

The Big O has a fantastic soundtrack (barring its atrocious opening song). Its jazz-influenced background music is somewhat similar to Cowboy Bebop's and RahXephon's, which makes me suspect that anime directors use jazz as a way of indicating that a show is supposed to seem sophisticated. However, Big O's classical orchestral themes (which are mostly reserved for serious, dramatic scenes) are what really stick with me. They're memorable, and almost never grow old, even though the show recycles them rather frequently. ~Dagger~

A few weeks ago, I began to watch several series that either pay homage to or borrow heavily from Revolutionary Girl Utena. I'm thinking mainly of Pretear, since the parallels between it and Utena are rather striking. Like Utena, Pretear is definitely shoujo. Though their storylines and characters have little in common (aside from certain stylistic similarities--as is the case in Utena, Pretear's pretty boys generally possess long hair and unpleasant attitudes), Pretear's atmosphere often echoes Utena's. I mentioned earlier that Revolutionary Girl Utena is a somewhat surreal show. This lack of realism gives it a strong sense of unpredictability, and is frequently played up in order to amplify both its humor and drama. Pretear does the exact same thing, but so far it appears to be a more innocent and less serious show. Its comedic sequences, while adequately funny, struck me as being a little derivative--when watching them, I couldn't help thinking, "Oh, this is exactly the kind of thing I might see in Utena." Yet while Utena's humor can be a little ridiculous, it's always accompanied by some kind of deeper significance, or at least an undercurrent of sly self-deprecation. The comedy in Pretear is just plain ridiculous. One of the members of Pretear's supporting cast is a pink-haired girl who looks and acts very much like a caricature of Nanami. She's always concocting absurdly elaborate schemes to trip up the unsuspecting main character (Himeno). I found it difficult to enjoy watching her crazy plots, simply because I'd already seen that kind of thing done very cleverly in Utena. ~Dagger~

My thanks to all of you for your helpful comments. Plenty of replies and some wonderful advice--I couldn't have asked for more. ^_^ I initially tried to give this next drawing more of a cell-shaded look, but that didn't quite work out. In any event, it was a lot of fun to color. ~Dagger~

Awww. I like the fact that you slightly altered the color of Kurama's hair; deep pink suits this picture better than bright red would have. It looks as though you hand-wrote "Happy Valentines," and although your penmanship is very clean and attractive, I think that typing the text in a nice black font might make the drawing seem more professional. I only have one other quibble: the pink circle on the left side of his face (I assume it's supposed to indicate that he's blushing) seems a little out of place. Because the colored pencils are so well blended in the remainder of your drawing, this single solid spot stands out way too much. Other than those two details, it's fantastic--not to mention very cute. ^_^ ~Dagger~

Dip your toes in the wellspring-- This water will spread to engulf you. Flowing melodically, it soars On the strength of combined voices. Song like a waterfall cascades Down to your bones. There it vibrates, A rhythm that covers your body, And presses your mouth to move in silent accord. These are the choirs of heaven descended, Seas of fallen singers, all angels Naked and wingless in the muddied snow.

I feel so guilty for not replying earlier, because I genuinely love your art. >_< Biyomon: Absolutely adorable, extremely well shaded, and (best of all) inspired by me! ^_- I love this drawing's color scheme (all that pink and blue makes me think of cotton candy). Like Semjaza said, it seems exceptionally professional--the lineart in particular looks very stylish and smooth. I wish that she was smiling, but perhaps that's just me. Winter Chika: This girl does seem more autumnal than winter-y. The pompoms on the ends of her hat are quite snazzy. It's also cool that you appear to be exploring slightly different cell-shading techniques when coloring each drawing. Angel: For some reason, she makes me think of the anime Haibane Remnei (if you haven't seen it, you should try taking a look at some of its artwork, which is very beautiful). Perhaps it's her faux wings, or the sketch's somber palette. Her hair is amazingly textured and detailed, which really draws in the viewer's attention. Sile and Espe: Wow. If I didn't know better, I'd think that these little creatures were the creations of a professional artist. Their shading is sharp and clean, and the pastel ying-yang is the perfect backdrop. However, as Baron mentioned, Espe's dark outline makes her seem better defined than Sile. I really love the texture of her fins and tail--it looks so shimmery and delicate. Heh, I also avoid drawing hands. I just can't seem to get them right. ^_^; ~Dagger~

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by niassassa [/i] [B]yeah i guess thats right. and especially about Kaname not looking her age and her calling Souske the pervert... just out of curiosity, what is your favorite anime movie/series? [/B][/QUOTE] Although I'm glad that you agree, it's really just a manner of opinion. So I technically can't be "right." ^_~ At the moment, my favorite series are RahXephon, Gravitation, Revolutionary Girl Utena, Boogiepop Phantom, Fruits Basket and The Big O. I haven't seen enough full-length anime films to list my favorites, but I do watch OAVs. Of those, I particularly like Read or Die, Shamanic Princess and Voices of a Distant Star. How much of Full Metal Panic have you seen? I've only watched its first eight episodes, so I have no idea how the show turns out. If you've seen its ending, would you say that it wraps things up in a satisfactory manner? ~Dagger~

I recently bought the first two volumes of Full Metal Panic. After all I've heard about it, I ended up being pretty disappointed. FMP has many fantastic (albeit short) action sequences, but so do a number of other recent shows; at this point, good animation really isn't a sufficient reason to watch any otherwise unremarkable series. I'm very, very picky about comedy in anime, which may be one of the reasons why I'm judging this show a bit harshly. I don't see what's so funny about yet another feisty female lead who yells "Pervert!" when [i]she's[/i] the one wearing an overly skimpy school uniform. I have nothing against fan service, but I'm tired of series that carry it to unrealistic levels. Faye Valentine is a grown woman--her body type may be somewhat improbable, but at least she's not supposed to be sixteen. Frankly, Kaname just doesn't look her age. Even this would not be problematic, were it not for the fact that Full Metal Panic has difficulty establishing a consistent tone. Combining genres is one thing; veering back and forth between (poorly done) romantic comedy and tense, dramatic action is something else all together. Light-hearted fan service, such as unusually short skirts, belongs in the first category. The heavier stuff (of which FMP has quite a bit) belongs in the second. What I'm trying to say is that this series feels a little incongruous. I love its action, and its character designs are very easy on the eyes, but I'm quite bored by FMP's humorous episodes. The show's plot also seems somewhat suspect: the whole "sketchy guys doing bad stuff in Russia" theme is so cliched that I just couldn't bring myself to take it seriously (especially since those scenes are accompanied by extremely cheesy background music). I wanted to like Full Metal Panic, and I may try to give it a second chance. But for now, I just don't see what sets this series apart. ~Dagger~

I haven't seen any of the Tenchi series in ages. Like most of you, I watched them on Cartoon Network, and can't really remember much beyond the fact that I really loved Ryoko. She was the first truly cool female character I ever encountered, and to this day I enjoy participating in the occasional Ryoko vs. Ayeka debate. Since I remember Tenchi Universe better than Tenchi Muyo or Tenchi in Tokyo, I'll avoid talking about those two shows (at least for the moment). My favorite Universe episode was the one in which Ryoko and Ayeka described their first childhood meeting to a somewhat skeptical Tenchi--seeing their different versions of the story was simply hilarious. However, I disliked the fact that the series just didn't have an ending (it was also utterly lacking in romantic closure, which annoyed me). I suspect that my rather visceral dislike of Ayeka might vanish if I chose to re-watch Muyo or Universe, but until I gain access to them, I'll have to be content with despising her. ;P ~Dagger~

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Baron Samedi [/i] Wow. I loved the descriptiveness in this story. You did excellently, the imagery of the scene, and allusions to a past life were excellently done. It was... quite strange. Something about the way it was written seemed really strange to me. It was a good piece however. You described it all really well, and I am very impressed by it.[/quote] Thanks for replying! I'm glad that you liked it. ^_^ I think the story's sense of "strangeness" probably stems from the fact that I wrote it in the second person (with a little bit of imperative thrown in towards the end). I knew that it would end up being fairly short, and so decided to experiment with using unusual tenses, since it's a bit taxing to write lengthy pieces in anything but the first person or third person point-of-view. [quote]I didn't really like that part. The door's metal bar? What is this? I just didn't like that particular sentence. Aside from that, good work.[/QUOTE] Heh, yeah, I couldn't quite think of how to describe that. I was visualizing someone emerging from a large public library--the kind with double doors which open via horizontal metal bars that sort of click inwards as you push them. I'm glad you mentioned that part, though, because I was dubious as to whether or not it would make sense. This piece was largely inspired by Shakespeare's Macbeth, which I've been re-reading in order to prepare for my English exam. So I made an effort to incorporate some of Macbeth's motifs, although the story itself takes place in a modern setting. ~Dagger~

The main reason that I don't reply to certain threads is because I'm not skilled enough to offer advice on a particular piece, whether it's a banner, web layout, wallpaper, or something else entirely. Kaisuke, Kinetic, and Hittokiri Zero, for example, are all fantastic graphic artists. They have far more experience and talent than I could ever lay claim to. Most of the time, I just don't feel that I'm qualified to post helpful comments about their work. While I may occasionally be able to offer aesthetic criticism, I can't discuss the techniques that they use to create their graphics. Most threads--regardless of which forum they're found in--have far more views than actual replies. I think it's safe to say that people generally put just as much effort into writing a poem, story, or intelligent rebuttal as they do into making a new banner or wallpaper. Just look at how many poetry threads go unnoticed; not everyone has the time or the knowledge necessary to leave an intelligent reply. So this problem--although I wouldn't really call it that--isn't solely confined to the Art & Design forum. On a side note, it's often easier to formulate your critique when the artist tells you which specific aspects of his work he wants you to comment on. ~Dagger~

Pretear is either underrated or undeservedly obscure. Its fluid animation, likeable heroine, and attractive character designs all serve to make it the best "magical girl" show I've ever seen (except perhaps for Shamanic Princess). Many recent series, such as RahXephon, have emphasized pastel hues rather than using bold primary colors. Pretear carries this trend to an extreme by restricting its palette to soft, incredibly beautiful shades of stronger, brighter hues. Its backgrounds are mostly rendered in muted watercolors, yet they seem remarkably dynamic and perfectly complement Pretear's uniformly pretty characters. This series is fresh, funny, and unabashedly shoujo in nature. It's also far from stereotypical, and really brings something new to the genre. For example, Pretear's main character, a girl named Himeno, must work with a group of seven "Knights of Leafe" into order to save the world. Despite the fact that these Knights are all male, only one or two of them show any romantic interest in our heroine. Better yet, they aren't all angsty teenagers--some are in their early twenties and some are scarcely out of diapers. Because I'm a big fan of fairy tales, I enjoyed seeing how Pretear combined and changed a number of classic European stories (such as Snow White and Cinderella). I can't wait to finish watching it. ~Dagger~

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by karrari [/i] [B]okay. heres the answer to your guestion with a guestion. Did you ask a girl? if you did than when she said "I love Inuyasha!" than she meant that she thinks one of the characters is totally hot. iwould know.(Tee Hee!) but if you asked a guy, either he has no idea what Inuyasha is, is gay and thinks like a girl, is reading for the Hentai, or likes the fight scenes, the COOL demon aspect and sweet music. theres your answer with a guestion. forgive my spelling, it totally sucks. [/B][/QUOTE] I beg to disagree. I, for one, am a girl, and I don't think that any of the male (or female) characters in Inuyasha are exceptionally attractive. Sesshomaru has his charms, but the show's simplistic character designs don't really catch my interest. I watch Inuyasha because I have an insatiable desire to know what happens next (even though its plot is rather predictable....). Though its fight scenes are occasionally interesting, they're nothing compared to those featured in other current shows (such as Full Metal Panic). As for your reference to hentai..... well, I think that speaks for itself. ~Dagger~

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by anatema [/i] [B]I get creative burst of energy, they're usually extremely inappropriate, like when I should be sleeping I get the most wonderful idea for a story. I never put anything off because I like to get the idea exactly how I envisioned it down and then I end up going to bed at something like four in the morning. Drawing also works the same way, I just get in a mood really. It's the sudden need to create something, I guess. [/B][/QUOTE] I'm pretty much the same way; I usually end up writing several pages of a story or journal entry immediately after attempting to go to bed. This isn't problematic during the summer, but right now the lack of sleep is really beginning to affect my concentration. My midterm exams are coming up, so I'll need to start stifling my creative urges if I want to have any hope of passing all my classes. It feels truly wonderful when one's words start flowing naturally and effortlessly. Though I can write well during the day, for some reason I work best either late at night or very early in the morning. Perhaps it's because fatigue makes me feel more relaxed; I honestly can't say what causes my nocturnal creativity. ~Dagger~

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by terra [/i] [b][i]Really?!?![/b][/i] I nearly always skip the opening, ending, [i]and[/i] preview of every single episode. *laughs* You and I definitely have our differences.[/quote] I usually force myself to watch an anime's opening and ending, if only because they're part of what I paid for. ;P But unless the animation and/or music is really captivating, I have some difficulty sitting through those sequences several episodes in a row. Previews, however, I almost always see--they help me decide whether to continue watching, or to take a break. [quote]But I think I didn't enjoy RahXephon as much as I could've because I watched it in big chunks. Oddly enough, even though they were one after another, I often had difficulty remembering what (unnecessarily complex) insights had been revealed in just the episode before. But since they were all in a row, I got too tired about trying to remember all of the little details and just sat there letting it pour over me. I think if there had been time between, I would've been more mentally able to think back, and would've been forced to remember the back story every single time I watched a new episode.[/QUOTE] I watched each RahXephon DVD twice (first in English, then in Japanese) before moving on to the next, so although I initially had trouble distinguishing between episodes, I generally managed to sort things out in time for seeing the next batch. When I first bought Boogiepop Phantom--which happens to be one of my favorite anime--I marathoned it over the course of a three-day weekend. I enjoyed the series, but realized that I had only scratched the surface in terms of understanding its complexities. I later saw it again, this time restricting myself to one episode per night, and found that doing so really improved my comprehension of Boogiepop's basic message and intricate character relationships. ~Dagger~

*helps give Laeth CPR* ^_~ _________________________________________________ The mage eyed Aissa for a long moment before he spoke. All the humor had vanished from his face, leaving him with an expression that was almost cold in its sheer neutrality. "I used to attend the university here." She briefly wondered why he was telling them this, then did a quick double take as she realized what he must have been referring to. "[i]The[/i] university? Ma'Uriith's University of Magic, I mean?" "[i]The[/i] University," Anubis repeated, favoring her with a swift ghost of a smile. "It's been almost twenty years since I set foot in its halls, but darkness won't stop me from leading you there. The library might still be standing, if you truly wish to.... occupy... yourself." Leile crossed her arms. "I suppose we'll be relying on you for protection," she said slowly. "The streets are almost completely destroyed, and I assume you haven't walked around Ma'Uriith in a while. What if we get lost?" "You won't get lost," he stated flatly. "Not while following me, at any rate." The mage strode across the room to pick up his staff. Turning around, he offered both of them a sly, challenging gaze. "Shall we go?"

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Mimmi[/i] Overall, there [i]are[/i] things that could be seen as faulty. But depending on how experiened you are, you'll either enjoy it a lot [insert exclamation marks] - or you will see the things that are positive, but still not be blind to the aspects that could've been done better. [/color][/QUOTE] You raise a very good point, my friend. I think one of the main reasons that I'm not enormously enthusiastic about this show is because I've been watching anime for a relatively long time (whereas many other people--especially in this thread--were first introduced to anime by Inuyasha). I tend to be a bit picky about what I watch, and especially about what I buy, so it makes sense that my opinions occasionally clash with those of more fervent fans. SasukeUchiha, which of Inuyasha's voice actors are you referring to (his English VA or his Japanese VA)? ~Dagger~